Leadership Announcement: Tudor Place Foundation Appoints Mary-Frances Wain as Executive Director

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February 26, 2026

 

Contact

Catie Curry

Communications Manager

press@tudorplace.org | 202-580-7323

 

Washington, D.C.  –  Tudor Place Board of Trustee President, Dr. Christy Pichichero, along with the Executive Director Search Committee are delighted to announce that Mary-Frances Wain has been appointed as the next Executive Director of Tudor Place.

Wain brings an extraordinary depth of experience to Tudor Place. A service-driven chief executive in the nonprofit sector, she has an exceptional record of mission-focused leadership and organizational transformation. Her career includes executive roles with the United Nations Foundation, National Women’s Law Center, Prosperity Now, National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She is widely recognized for fostering entrepreneurial innovation, building transformative partnerships, driving sustainable growth and leading high-performing teams.

Wain brings a strong background in social justice and engaging diverse audiences. She is also a longstanding champion of the arts and museum community. She brings a 360-degree organizational leadership perspective shaped by her experience as a nonprofit executive and consultant; museum and nonprofit staff member; founding board chair and trustee; volunteer; donor; and engaged community member. Wain is also deeply engaged in the Washington, DC community including Leadership Greater Washington and numerous impactful civic and nonprofit organizations. This scale of engagement makes her well suited to lead Tudor Place into its next chapter in advancing our vision for an honest look at the past to realize a better future.

“I am honored and thrilled to steward Tudor Place’s rich and important legacy and to carry its pertinent and powerful mission forward,” Mary-Frances shared. “Tudor Place is a singular space to discover, explore and expand the stories and lived experiences that are the fabric of our city and our country.”

Wain’s leadership will focus on advancing Tudor Place’s mission through expanded exhibitions, public programs and educational initiatives, inviting visitors to reflect on the complexities of America’s history.

ABOUT TUDOR PLACE: Tudor Place preserves the stories of six generations of descendants of Martha Washington, and the enslaved and free people who lived and labored here for nearly two centuries. By examining their legacy, we challenge ourselves and our visitors to celebrate the triumphs and to confront the complexities of the past.  Open Tuesday – Sunday. Be sure to join Tudor Place in celebrating the nation’s semiquincentennial beginning with a feature exhibition experience, Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington. For tickets visit www.tudorplace.org. Follow us on Instagram (tudor_place), Facebook (tudorplace), LinkedIn and YouTube (tudorplace1805).

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Who Bought Martha Washington’s Belongings? Tudor Place Has Answers That Change History

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THE ZEBRA _ BY LISA-HELENE LAWSON

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of American independence, Tudor Place Historic House & Garden is inviting the public to look beyond familiar founding-era narratives and examine the people, possessions, and power structures that shaped the early United States. Opening February 11, 2026 — during Black History Month — the exhibition “Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington” anchors Tudor Place’s America 250 commemoration with new research that deepens understanding of both the site’s history and the lives of Black Americans in the nation’s earliest years.

Read the full article here.

Tudor Place to Unveil New Martha Washington Exhibit in Commemoration of the America’s 250th Anniversary

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EAST WING MAGAZINE _ BY JENNIFER TAYLOR

Tudor Place Historic House & Garden in Washington, D.C., will unveil “Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington,” a special exhibition opening on Wednesday.

The centerpiece of America 250 at Tudor Place, the exhibition explores the historic 1802 public sale of Martha Washington’s household contents at Mount Vernon, revealing what the Washingtons’ worldly belongings—and the people who desired them—say about the values, aspirations and divisions of early American society, according to a press release from the site.

Read the full article here.

Tudor Place Museum Unveils New Martha Washington Exhibit

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NORTHERN VIRGINIA MAGAZINE _ BY DEBBIE WILLIAMS

The historic Tudor Place museum in Georgetown has preserved the material legacy of six generations of Martha Washington’s descendants. This includes items and history of the enslaved and free people who lived and labored with them as well.

To commemorate American 250, the museum is unveiling a new exhibit, Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington, on February 11. It will feature more than 60 objects with Washington family or Mount Vernon provenance.

The exhibition explores the historic 1802 public sale of Martha Washington’s household contents at Mount Vernon. The sale netted $3,735 to help pay educational expenses for Martha Washington’s nephews. Most buyers were white men, but a document uncovered in the Tudor Place archives revealed that some purchasers were enslaved women and men.

Read the full article here.